Dedicated to the proposition that intellectual acuity is not a prerequisite to political discourse

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Loudoun Isn't the Only Place Where Republicans Are Pledge-Challenged

UPDATED 8/15: A reader pointed out some factual inaccuracies in my post below regarding the incumbency of Mr. Geary (he's not the incumbent) and the pledge he may be breaking (state RPV pledge). As always, I'm willing to edit for any errors.

In yet another example (as if we needed one) where the Republican pledge of unquestionable allegiance to yet-to-be-named nominees means absolutely nothing, take a look at the Henrico County's commonwealth's attorney race. As reported in the Richmond-Times Dispatch here and here, the Republican nominee and current for CA Matt Gearey is being challenged by a Republican legislator, Del. Bill Janis, who will run as an independent. Geary had an affair which leaked a year ago, apparently sufficient justification for going back on your word in Henrico.

Keep in mind that Janis is not just some one-time candidate who wasn't happy with the way things went at a convention (I'm not sure what the method of nomination was, but if Janis voted, which he probably did, he'd likely be subject to some local level pledge in addition to the state one). Nope. He's a sitting member of the House of Delegates no less. Apparently, he's now technicially abandoning the Republican party, so the argument is that he's not breaking any Republican Party pledge. To that, I offer a quote from noted orator Chad Ochocinco, "Child, please!" If he's not going to be bound by the pledge then why should anyone anywhere?

I'm not trying to defend Geary or disparage Janis. I'm just making the point that these pledges, either at the state or local level, are ridiculous. Obviously, party registration would help end the insanity, but even without such registration, these inane pledges need to go.